NL Central Notes: Lynn, Pirates, Garza

Right-hander Lance Lynn, who will make his return from 2016 Tommy John surgery this week, told the St. Louis media today that he hopes to spend his entire career with the Cardinals and is open to negotiating a new contract (via Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Lynn, however, acknowledged that the Cardinals may not be open to such a concept until he’s proven that he’s back to full health, suggesting the All-Star break as a possible time. “I don’t want to be a free agent,” said Lynn, “but if that comes up then I’ll take it and run with it and see where it goes.” Lynn hasn’t pitched since the 2015 playoffs and is in the final season of a three-year, $22MM contract that he signed prior to the 2015 season to buy out all of his arbitration years. In 791 1/3 career innings, Lynn has a 3.37 ERA with 8.7 K/9, 3.3 BB/9 and a 44.4 percent ground-ball rate.

More from the division…

Stephen Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette takes an interesting look at the Pirates’ relationship with star outfielder Andrew McCutchen after exploring trades all winter. It’s a good read that features many people who are close to the 30-year-old, who’s under contract for the coming season and can be controlled for another year via club option. While McCutchen is all but certain to remain in Pittsburgh at least through the trade deadline, it’s still anybody’s guess whether he’ll remain thereafter.

The Pirates aren’t fretting over the fact that they’re without three of their top home run hitters from the 2016 season, writes Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. While Sean Rodriguez, Jung Ho Kang and Matt Joyce combined to hit 34 percent of the team’s round-trippers last year, manager Clint Hurdle emphasized that one way to offset the loss is simply for his club to allow fewer runs. Hurdle adds that he believes there’s some untapped power in his lineup — Gregory Polanco and Josh Bell, in particular, seemingly have the potential to up their home run output, for instance. Biertempfel also notes that while some wondered whether the typically data-driven Pirates would begin to focus more on fly-balls and launch angle — an increasingly popular approach at the plate — hitting coach Jeff Branson strongly suggested otherwise. “I don’t get into all the launch-angle stuff,” Branson tells Biertempfel. “…if you start telling guys to hit the ball in the air, there are too many things that can go wrong, too many things that can get out of whack.” Branson later notes that he doesn’t dismiss launch angle entirely but also isn’t an expert on the matter. “We’re going to teach and talk about things we’re familiar with, things that we know work,” he adds.

Matt Garza is ahead of schedule as he looks to return from a groin strain that landed him on the 10-day disabled list to open the season, writes MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. The veteran Brewers righty could begin a rehab assignment as soon as early next week, manager Craig Counsell tells McCalvy, adding that Garza will require at least two rehab outings before being reinstated. Milwaukee just lost Opening Day starter Junior Guerra for the next six weeks, at minimum, so the return of Garza will make for a welcome addition. While the 33-year-old hasn’t lived up to the four-year, $50MM deal he signed with Milwaukee, he quietly worked to a very solid 3.72 ERA with 6.6 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a 57.5 percent ground-ball rate over the life of his final dozen starts in 2016 (65 1/3 innings).

You’d really want to throw Lance Lynn in Game 2 of the World Series? He’d be up against David Price, Johnny Cueto, Jake Arrieta, or someone of that class. Against good teams, he’s not a #2. Against bottom dwellers and middle of the pack teams in the regular season, he might be fine, but it’s a fallacy to say that’s all you need from a #2 starter. Unless you’re not in this to win championships.

Pirates do lack power, no question about it. For one thing, Starling Marte only hit 9 homers last year, what’s that all about? Maybe this will be the year Jordy Mercer hits 20 homers, if they’re lucky. He does have some pop, I wouldn’t put it past him. Way down the road I could see Adam Frazier turning in to a Steve Finley type, and hitting 20, but that is just dreaming right now.

Otherwise, McCutchen should hit 20, Polanco should hit at least 20, and Maybe Josh Bell could hit 20. After that, I would suggest a lot of praying. Or maybe that should be the first thing…I don’t know. Hurdle is right though about the pitching needing to limit runs better than last year.

I think the Dodgers would be in the market for a true RF, the Giants for a true CF, the Jays could probably be the spot if they match up for the Pirates and then insert mystery team. The issue with Cutch is there are better defensive options with comparable offensive tool sets in 16. It depends on how well Cutch is hitting obviously. I’m just not sure there’s going to be as great of a market as there should be dependent upon how the teams fall.

The pirates have three problems and those are 1: Lack of Power 2: Leadership 3: Hurdle. The first problem is explained above. The second problem shows that there is no standard for the bucs. The steelers and penguins have a standard to play well. Tomlin repeats himself every time an injury occurs by saying the standard is the standard. They dont care if you are first string all pro or 3rd string filling in for a week the standard is the standard and you are expected to play to that standard. The pirates have no standard and thats due to a lack of leadership. They are too focused on having fun and games than trying to make the uniform they were force respect onto their opponents. They need a leader and a character guy on their team that will put a spark under their butts and show them that they play for the city of champions and mediocraty doesnt cut it here. The third problem is also relates to the second in that while being a terrible manager and having the strateguy equivilent to that of a little league coach he lost this team and this cuty for that matter. Its time for hurdle to show that he aint gonna take these losses with a grain of salt. Again look at sullivan in hockey or look at tomlin in football. When theyre teams under preform and especially if they preform embarrassingly they get pissed, may not be smash the mic and murder a reporter pissed but you can tell that they chewed out their players butts. Its time for hurdle to quit with this mr nice guy, santa cluase, oh we tried our best bs. Its still a long season but these problems are already relevent now just two games in.

I agree with some of your points. But I can’t ignore your terrible writing structure here. Very difficult to read. And its highly annoying when Yinzers start referencing the Steelers and Penguins on a baseball page. This is why the sports world doesn’t take you seriously.

Great starting pitching so far this year! Very poor managing of the relief pitching. No hitting. Weak line up. When are the owners going to get enough of the current Mabry, Lilliquist and Matheney? Dumb baseball people like me even knows this line up would be a winner with what they have; Fowler (cf), Diaz (ss), Carpenter (2b), Adams (1b), Jerko (3b), Gricuk (Lf), Molina (c), Piscoty (rf), pitcher.